Is this reasonable? Cockroaches and doors wide open at night?

Question

I rented a house in the town where I'm moving (an hour away) yesterday afternoon. I had seen it briefly twice two days in a row (both times before the power was on). It looked old but fine the first day, and was right downtown. When I called and said I wanted it, the landlord's helper met me at the house. I saw a couple of dying cockroaches on the counter. (It looked as if they had just sprayed.) I told the landlord "I saw some cockroaches," and he told me that his people were going out to spray (again?). I had already rented a moving van that was loaded, so I signed the month to month rental and paid them first and security, then unloaded my things. The landlord is very nice and walked me over to the city hall, where I paid to have the utilities turned on..

I took another van load over this morning. They had not only sprayed but set off several "bombs" in the kitchen. I noticed several dead roaches on the kitchen floor, one on the bathroom floor, and one crawled out from under the front door mat on the porch. Still, I was not alarmed (they seemed to be running away or dying). The landlord offered for one of his people to meet the utilities person to make sure everything in the house was turned on at 3:30 pm; he would also move out some beds that were left by the previous tenant.

I decided to make a late haul and got up there about 8:30 pm tonight. I arrived to find the front door and its storm door wide open, the back door wide open (NOT just unlocked, propped open), several lights on in the house, with the central AC running full blast. As I walked in the kitchen, a huge roach came scurrying across the counter; two were crawling on the floor and wall. The fridge was propped wide open and running, and two large live roaches were inside.

I was there about half an hour. No one came by to close and lock the doors, and I presume they wouldn't have. Meanwhile, my belongings (I hope they are all still there) are sitting there in the livingroom. I just left without unloading my next load of things, for obvious reasons. The landlord knows that (especially as a single woman) I am concerned about the security of the house, as I asked him several questions about who would have keys to the house, safety of the neighborhood, etc.

What would you do at this point if you were me?

Answer 1

If you want to live there, have the locks changed. No one should have a key except you and the landlord. Talk to the neighbors to see how safe the neighborhood is.

As for the roach problem. Your landlord needs to call a professional to come in to exterminate.

Answer 2

Honestly, it doesn't really sound like your landlord may have your best interest in mind. Regardless of how nice he or she is-you are a means of income. Trust me, the roach issue you can get under control (astetically-you won't see them with major treatment-but it sounds like you are pretty infested), but WHY would you want to have to deal with this? I mean I have no idea if you have any other options(stay with a friend for a bit or a hotel). I am someone that was in a similar situation, and I stayed in the apartment. I didn't have a huge roach issue(I have only seen a few little ones). I have a major RODENT problem, currently under control-it's summer and a healty dose of steel wool and boric acid (yes it kill mice as well).

Don't do it to yourself, you deserve better than this. If you can put your things in storage and break this lease, and find another place to move to do so! Just explain that you feel terribly uncomfortable living somewhere with so many roaches. And this was not brought to your attention that the infestation was so massive. I would be very upfront, you can even be brash, this is YOUR money and you were mislead to a certain extent. Of course they will say after the bombing they will all go away. Trust me, the roaches will stay they will just adapt to your lifestyle. They have managed to adapt and grow in many types of climates, environments, etc. In the event, that you do decide to stay, boric acid can work wonders. It's a powder usually called Roach Pruff or something to that effect, you just put a small layer EVERYWHERE! You can also use Borax (although maybe not as strong, you can buy it at Walmart or your local grocer). Get some bleach and pour a 1/2 cup down all drains and toilet once a month. Get screens. I urge you to check under your stove top, inside the stove under the kit cabinet, because trust me you want to see what you are getting yourself into. And let's face it-it's better just to see what you are getting yourself into.

And let me not even start on the saftety issue, leaving hte door wide open with air running on your electric bill (you turned on the utlities) and light on. Yeah, that just says disrepect and future doormat all over it. I really don't want to be cynnincal or negavtive. But, I personally would find a way out. I mean this would be "home". I don't think that concept really sinks in until we are fully moved and settled in.

I would seriously contact the landlord and if they give you grief consult a lawyer or Legal Aid www.legal-aid.org to see how you can get out of the lease. It's month to month right. I think you can simply give him 3 days notice and get your deposit back, and maybe this person would be nice enough to give you back your money now. Make it known you would be VERY unhappy and are very unhappy with this situation. I am in this situation and decided to stay, I was however stuck in a 2 year lease, and then my lease was "automatically" renewed with no notification. I have never signed anything and was horribly mislead. I found out the law in my state and I am fighting my way out of this place. I hope I am not too negative, but it sucks living somewhere you hate. I hope I was of some help.  

Answer 3

My guess is that he didn't know that his maintenance guy did what he did. Tell him and hopefully it won't happen again. Most leases have a paragraph which talks about the landlord notifying you 24 hrs. in advance before entering your unit unless you request some sort of repair.

Obviously, they aren't very professional. You might consider having the dead bolts replaced temporarily while you live there. The only problem is you'll have to be there any time you need maintenance and they will have to be replaced with the originals when you move out. You would have control over the keys though.

As for the roach problem. Sounds like the previous tenants were not real clean and you might have to take up the fight on your own for a time.

As for your original question. No,  it's not reasonable to come to your new place and find the doors opened and all your stuff there for anyone to take.